Advertisement

Silver Star significantly expanding its ski terrain

NEAR VERNON – Downhill skiers who visit Silver Star this winter will have more terrain to try out. The ski hill is doing a major expansion of their alpine ski terrain for the first time in years. The ski resort is adding around 130 acres of new terrain, almost all of it gladed terrain which allows visitors to ski through the trees.

“It is for those that want some adventure, that want to go off the beaten path [to] the non-groomed runs and experience some natural terrain,” says Silver Star director of sales and marketing Anne Haight.

To open up the new terrain, the new runs are logged selectively. Unlike most logging projects, crews need to know or be taught about ski runs because they have discretion about which trees to take out.

For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen.

Get breaking National news

For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen.
By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy.

Read More: Junior Nationals brings Canada’s best young freestyle skiers to Silver Star

“You are removing about 60 per cent of the timber in a certain stand and opening up lines of skiing within the trees,” says Silver Star operations director, Brad Baker.

The ski hill hopes the new terrain will help them draw in new visitors and please old ones.

Story continues below advertisement

“We are trying to attract new visitors as well as give our current pass holders some new terrain,” says Haight.

However, what ski enthusiasts are really wondering is when they will be able to get out on the slopes. The ski hill says annual summer grooming means they need less snow to open.

Read More: ‘This isn’t our worst snow year’: Okanagan ski resorts ride out conditions

“Basically we go out and we pretty much manicure our slopes, what would be under the snow, so that we can get open earlier with less snow. [There is a] lot of talk about El Niño this year and [summer grooming] will certainly aid us if it is a lower snow year,” says Baker.

Silver Star plans to open Nov. 12 for cross-country skiing and Nov. 26 for alpine skiing. The resort says the weather is on track to allow the ski hill to open as planned.

Sponsored content

AdChoices